`The OC` Analysis

THE REAL AND REEL ORANGE COUNTY

Orange County in Southern California is one of the most popular counties in the United States . This is because of its economic development in the past fifty years . The county 's popularity can also be attributed to its representation in popular culture , especially the hit television drama , The O .C . In this light , this essay describes the real ' Orange County (its history , demographics , economy , and history and the reel ' one , focusing on how it represents and stereotypes the people and values of Orange County . The objective

of the essay is to answer whether the representation matched the reality . The pilot episode of the drama 's first season is considered in this essay

Orange County was first known in the name of Vallejo de Santa following the 1769 expedition of Gaspar de Portola . In 1776 , Mission San Juan Capistrano became the first permanent European settlement in the area . In the 1860s , a severe drought devastated cattle ranching , the area 's prevailing industry . People began to migrate to Orange County in the 1880s , after the discovery of silver in the mountains of Santa Ana Because of this development , on March 11 , 1889 , the California legislature divided Los Angeles County and created Orange County as a separate political entity . Orange County takes its name from the orange orchards that used to cover its 782 squares miles , running from the Santa Ana Mountains in the east , to the Pacific coastline in the west Oil extraction , avocados , and other citrus crops were also important to the early economy of Orange County

The recent history of Orange County typifies the post-war boom of Southern California . Fifty years ago , the county was devoted largely to citrus groves , bean fields , and oil wells . A growing number of outsiders , however , began to discover the clean air and pastoral landscape . Aerospace and defense contractors--Southern California 's biggest manufacturing sector before 1989--brought well-paid well-educated young professionals in search of high-quality suburban housing . In more recent years , the county 's growth industries have been computer-related businesses and biotechnology

Orange County residents , many of them newcomers to Southern California sparked a conservative revival that espoused a strong defense , a weak federal government , virulent anti-Communism , staunch nationalism , and unabashed celebration of laissez-faire capitalism . Conservative churches such as the Central Baptist Church , right-wing organizations such as the John Birch Society , and local newss such as the Orange County Register offered a forum where such values were codified into political action . These and other institutions that highlighted Orange County 's cultural landscape , including Disneyland , reflected and reinforced a burgeoning middle-class revolt that crystallized in the suburban spaces of Southern California

Orange County is one of the most populous counties in the United States , with the 2005 Census Bureau estimating the population at more than 3 million . In 2000 , there were 2 .8 million people , 935 thousand households , and 668 thousand families residing in Orange County , making it the second most populous county in California . The county 's population density was...